Govt urges Dalai to stop all separatist activities

BEIJING -- China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the Dalai Lama to stop all separatist and sabotage activities if he really wants to contact and consult with the central government.

Rioters carrying sticks and knives prepare to attack a fallen man in this photograph taken during the riots in Lhasa March 14, 2008. [Agencies]

Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu made the remarks at a regular press conference on Tuesday afternoon when asked to comment on a letter of appeal released by the Dalai Lama on March 28 to Chinese nationals around the globe.

She said the Dalai Lama on the one hand repeatedly claimed he wanted to consult with the central government. On the other hand, he stirred up social turmoil that disturbed the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games and seriously destroyed the basis for contact and consultation.

Jiang stressed if the Dalai Lama really wanted to contact and consult with the central government and become "a member of the big family" of the homeland, he should immediately stop all violent activities that foment assaults, vandalism, looting and arson, stop all activities that disturb and sabotage the Beijing Olympic Games, and stop all activities that attempt to separate Tibet from China.

Jiang said over the past 50 years, the Dalai clique had always distorted history, instigated conflict and contradictions among Chinese people of different nationalities, destroyed social stability in China and sought "Tibet independence".

She noted the Dalai clique instigated and plotted the recent violence in the Tibetan regions that severely endangered the lives, property and security of local residents, aroused great indignation of the whole Chinese nation and was widely condemned by the international community.

The real violence, once again, exposed the deceptive "non-violence" of the Dalai Lama to the world people, Jiang added.

She said there was ironclad evidence and it would be in vain for the Dalai Lama to try to wash himself of involvement in the violent assaults, vandalism, looting and arson through a release of "a letter of appeal" that is full of lies.